James ‘Jim’ Baker

James “Jim” Baker, 66, of Newton died on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013, at Newton Healthcare.

A graveside service will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at Newton Union Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. Memorials in Jim’s name may be left at the funeral home.

Jim, the son of Jesse J. and Jennie A. (Kingsland) Baker, was born on July 22, 1946, in Mason City, Iowa. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1965 and from NIACC in 1968 with a LPN degree. Jim worked at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines from 1968-1970.

Jim was united in marriage with Rose Ann Modlin on Oct. 18, 1969, in Newton, Iowa. He quit his job in the medical field to take care of his family and began working in the factory at the Maytag Company in Newton in September of 1972. While there he was given the nickname “Doc.” He and Rose made their home in Newton shortly thereafter. Jim worked at Maytag for more than 30 years before his retirement. Following retirement he drove for RSVP in Newton. He was a member of the Newton Jaycees where he enjoyed the sandbox fills and the haunted houses and both the Pella and Newton Masonic Lodges. Jim enjoyed fishing, camping and watching the Minnesota Twins.

Those left to honor Jim’s memory are his wife, Rose of Newton; children, Stacy Monroe of Ames and Kirk Baker of Newton; and his three grandchildren, Alexander and Aidan Monroe and Patricia Baker. He was preceded in death by his parents.